Endless Mode

Nintendo's Next Step with Donkey Kong Bananza Is So Obvious Don't get punch-drunk: the amazing Donkey Kong Bananza's lifespan could be greatly increased by this one Nintendo decision.

Donkey Kong Bananza is a smash hit, and it's clear what Nintendo needs to do to keep up its destructive momentum: new levels that tap into (and punch through) Nintendo's decades of video game history. www.endlessmode.com/article/nint...

The Best Parts of Death Stranding 2 Are When the Characters Acknowledge They're in a Game Kojima's meta streak continues with Death Stranding 2, which is at its best whenever its characters acknowledge they're in a game.

Hideo Kojima's meta streak continues with Death Stranding 2, which is at its best whenever its characters break the fourth wall and acknowledge that they're in a video game, writes @midimyers.com. www.endlessmode.com/article/the-...

With Its Dwarf Woman Nefi, Tales of the Shire Subverts the Typical Tolkien Adaptation Tales of the Shire does something rare for Tolkien adaptations: it has a dwarven woman who's a real character and not treated as a joke.

Tales of the Shire is the rare Lord of the Rings-derived work that seriously looks at dwarven women in all their bearded glory and doesn't just turn them into a cheap wisecrack, @gracemachine.bsky.social writes. www.endlessmode.com/article/with...

The Magic and Final Fantasy Crossover Is a Massive Success. What Does This Mean for Magic‘s Future? - Endless Mode The Magic: The Gathering / Final Fantasy crossover is fun and a massive success, and hopefully that doesn't ruin Magic as we know it.

The Magic: The Gathering / Final Fantasy crossover is fun and a massive success, and hopefully that doesn't ruin Magic as we know it. Read @ckunzelman.bsky.social on the hugely popular RPG/CCG mash-up.
www.endlessmode.com/tabletop/mag...

CarJitsu Is The Latest Thing Men Are Doing Instead Of Going To Therapy How restless, late night scrolling made me obsessed with one of the most ridiculous "sports" ever: CarJitsu.

Restless, late night scrolling brought @platanoranger.bsky.social to one of the most ridiculous sports: CarJitsu. Here's how it became his newest obsession. www.endlessmode.com/article/carj...

Five Anime Films That Deserve To Be In The Criterion Collection Endless Mode explores the infinite possibilities of games and anime, from the excitement of video games, togetherness of board games, and action of pinball, to the adventure of theme parks, exhilarati...

With more anime coming to Criterion's streaming services, we made a list of five anime films that deserve to be in the Criterion Collection. www.endlessmode.com/article/five...

8 Great Games to Play From the Toxic Yuri Visual Novel Jam Over 200 visual novels were entered into the Toxic Yuri VN Jam; here are our picks for the eight best that you should play right now.

Over 200 visual novels were entered into the Toxic Yuri VN Jam; here are our picks for the eight best that you should play right now. www.endlessmode.com/article/8-gr...

Here Are the Games We're Excited to Play in August It's already August, and here are seven games we can't wait to play this month, from returning legends to exciting new adventures.

A new month means new games. Here's what Endless Mode's editors @garrettmartin.bsky.social and @elijahgonzalez.bsky.social are looking forward to in August, from returning '80s legends to mysterious new journeys. www.endlessmode.com/article/here...

Three Storylines To Watch Out For During Evo 2025 With Evo 2025 starting today at 1 p.m. EDT, we've rounded up three storylines you'll want to follow, whether returning champions or games.

Evo 2025 is under way, and here are three storylines you'll want to follow, whether it's returning champions or games. www.endlessmode.com/video-games/...

Here Are the Games We're Excited to Play in August It's already August, and here are seven games we can't wait to play this month, from returning legends to exciting new adventures.

A new month means new games. Here's what Endless Mode's editors @garrettmartin.bsky.social and @elijahgonzalez.bsky.social are looking forward to in August, from returning '80s legends to mysterious new journeys. www.endlessmode.com/article/here...

For Those About To Rock, The CRKD Les Paul Guitar Controller Salutes You Rhythm games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have never felt better than with the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Blueberry Burst controller.

Some of us will always want to be a Guitar Hero. For those about to rock, the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Blueberry Burst guitar controller is the new state of the art. www.endlessmode.com/article/for-...

Kill Knight Captures Drumming's Multitasking Daze The rhythm of nailing a streak in a fast-action shooter like Kill Knight feels a lot like playing the drums.

Playing the drums is all about speed, consistency, and limb independence--the same skills that help you nail a killer streak in a fast-action shooter like Kill Knight, @diegoarguello.bsky.social writes. www.endlessmode.com/video-games/...

Three Storylines To Watch Out For During Evo 2025 With Evo 2025 starting today at 1 p.m. EDT, we've rounded up three storylines you'll want to follow, whether returning champions or games.

Evo 2025 is under way, and here are three storylines you'll want to follow, whether it's returning champions or games. www.endlessmode.com/video-games/...

Pinball Might Have Peaked in the Late '80s with Cyclone and Williams' System 11 Games Cyclone is an ideal example of Williams' System 11 pinball machines from the late '80s--when pins struck a perfect balance between tech and theme.

It's not nostalgia that makes us think Williams' System 11 machines were pinball at its peak (although it doesn't hurt). Those machines united tech, theme, and game design better than any others, most notably in 1988's Cyclone. www.endlessmode.com/article/pinb...

Magic: The Gathering Fizzles in Space with the New Edge of Eternities Set Magic's new space fantasy set Edge of Eternities features fantastic art and narrative design but lackluster gameplay.

Magic: The Gathering goes to space with the new Edge of Eternities set, which has amazing art and a fascinatingly weird story, but the gameplay is an undynamic mess. @ckunzelman.bsky.social looks at the newest Magic set. www.endlessmode.com/article/magi...

Dead Take Turns the Horror of the Hollywood Machine into a Psychological Escape Room The Art Life is not for the feint of heart in Dead Take, a new FMV horror game from the studio that made Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

Dead Take is a psychological escape room of a game that puts some of today's best video game voice actors in front of the camera. Read @thesaintoftous.bsky.social's review of the new FMV horror game. www.endlessmode.com/article/dead...

Everybody Wants to Play as Blade in Marvel Rivals Blade, the world's coolest vampire hunter, arrives in the Marvel Rivals hero shooter game on Friday, August 8.

Blade is the next hero coming to Marvel Rivals, and it seems like pretty much everybody will be playing as him as soon as he's available. www.endlessmode.com/article/ever...

Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily Maintains the Social Subversion and Queerness of Its Anime Inspiration Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily captures the charms of villainess anime in its chaotic, gender-norm-subverting protagonist, Scarlet.

Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily captures the charms of villainess anime in its chaotic, gender-norm-subverting protagonist, Scarlet. www.endlessmode.com/video-games/...

Steam's Video Player Gets Some Long-Needed Upgrades The Steam video player's new features include a more responsive UI, significant performance upgrades, and improved device compatibility.

Steam's video player is finally getting some necessary upgrades, including a more responsive UI, significant performance upgrades, and improved device compatibility. www.endlessmode.com/article/stea...

Magic: The Gathering Fizzles in Space with the New Edge of Eternities Set Magic's new space fantasy set Edge of Eternities features fantastic art and narrative design but lackluster gameplay.

Magic: The Gathering goes to space with the new Edge of Eternities set, which has amazing art and a fascinatingly weird story, but the gameplay is an undynamic mess. @ckunzelman.bsky.social looks at the newest Magic set. www.endlessmode.com/article/magi...

CD PROJEKT RED and Go On Board Announce A New Witcher Board Game CD PROJEKT RED and Go On Board announce their third The Witcher board game collaboration, a story-driven adventure named The Witcher: Legacy.

Get ready to invite Geralt back to your table: CD PROJEKT RED and Go On Board have announced their third Witcher board game collaboration, a story-driven adventure named The Witcher: Legacy. www.endlessmode.com/article/new-...

With Its Dwarf Woman Nefi, Tales of the Shire Subverts the Typical Tolkien Adaptation Tales of the Shire does something rare for Tolkien adaptations: it has a dwarven woman who's a real character and not treated as a joke.

Tales of the Shire is the rare Lord of the Rings-derived work that seriously looks at dwarven women in all their bearded glory and doesn't just turn them into a cheap wisecrack, @gracemachine.bsky.social writes. www.endlessmode.com/article/with...

Dead Take Turns the Horror of the Hollywood Machine into a Psychological Escape Room The Art Life is not for the feint of heart in Dead Take, a new FMV horror game from the studio that made Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

Dead Take is a psychological escape room of a game that puts some of today's best video game voice actors in front of the camera. Read @thesaintoftous.bsky.social's review of the new FMV horror game. www.endlessmode.com/article/dead...

Everything Announced From the 7/31 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase Today's Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase just wrapped up, and we've summarized the biggest news, including two new RPGs from Square Enix.

Here’s the biggest news from today’s Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, including two new RPGs from Square Enix. www.endlessmode.com/article/nint...

Build the Most Scenic Road in America in the Great Board Game Big Sur The Big Sur Coast Highway is gorgeous--and the Big Sur board game is elegantly designed and deeper than expected.

Big Sur, a board game about building the Big Sur Coast Highway, is quick to learn but meaty enough to guarantee lots of plays. Read @keithlaw.bsky.social's review. www.endlessmode.com/tabletop/boa...

Universal Reveals Halloween Horror Nights Houses Based on Five Nights at Freddy's and WWE's The Wyatt Sicks Endless Mode explores the infinite possibilities of games and anime, from the excitement of video games, togetherness of board games, and action of pinball, to the adventure of theme parks, exhilarati...

Universal has announced the last two of this year's Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses, including one based on the WWE wrestlers The Wyatt Sicks. Rabbits, birds and top hats: what a combo. www.endlessmode.com/article/univ...

The Summer Hikaru Died Episode 4 Review: Life In The Sticks This week, The Summer Hikaru Died moves into a new Yoshiki-Hikaru dynamic that still involves grief, small-town suffocation, and a fluffy cat.

This week, The Summer Hikaru Died moves into a new Yoshiki-Hikaru dynamic that still involves grief, small-town suffocation, and a fluffy cat. www.endlessmode.com/article/the-...

Touch Grass: Mario Kart World, Wheel World, and the Real World A spate of recent sports-adjacent video games reminds us of the value and importance of occasionally touching some grass.

Games like Mario Kart World, Wheel World, and Despelote have reminded Moises Taveras of the importance of getting active and why we need to, as some would say, touch grass every once in a while. www.endlessmode.com/video-games/...

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Hones The Series’ 2D Platforming To A Fine Point Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an agile 2D platformer that combines speed and excellent boss fights with an Ikaruga-styled twist.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an agile 2D platformer that combines speed and excellent boss fights with an Ikaruga-styled twist. Read our review. www.endlessmode.com/video-games/...

Mario Kart World version 1.2.0 includes new features, bug fixes, and rebalancing, to mixed reception. Read for the full patch notes. www.endlessmode.com/article/mari...